Trials of the Past
by Tobias
Summary: Passing through a village, Kagome learns a little more about Inuyasha's past. ONE SHOT!


Three years. Three of the longest years of Kagome's life. But three years none-the-less. The group had started small. Only her and Inuyasha at first. But sure enough they had grown to five - six including Kirara.

She knew much about _most_ of the others. Sango was the demon slayer who grew up in a small village. She was - and still is - the best out of all of them. And Naraku held her little brother at bay.

Miroku was the perverted monk. His father had been taken by Naraku's cure, and should they not kill Naraku in time, he would be taken too. Kagome knew that he cared for Sango, but his upbringing ensured that the best way he could show it - was to grope her.

Shippo had lost both his parents to the Thunder Brothers. With help from herself and Inuyasha, they had avenged their deaths. Now Kagome acted as a foster parent for the small fox demon. Hell, if giving the chance she would adopt him. Though she kind of already had. And the more she thought about it, the more Inuyasha seemed like the adoptive dad. Though he would sooner hand **Tetsusaiga** over to Sesshomaru before admitting it.

Come to think of it, she also knew a lot about Sesshomaru too. Originally he had despised humans, hated them to the very core. But something had changed. He was now traveling with a human. And he hasn't tried to kill Inuyasha lately.

Plus there was Kikyo. Kagome didn't know much about the dead miko, and she planned to keep it that way. It wasn't that she hated her, she just _disliked_ Kikyo with a passion. It probably had to do with her trying to kill Inuyasha twice, then when she couldn't, Kikyo had come after her! And although she had never told Inuyasha about that attack, she somehow knew that he knew about it.

Then it come to the final person. Inuyasha. She knew some about him. He had strong morals, when it come to most topics. He wanted nothing more than to kill Naraku. He was also very protective of Kagome. Even so much as to attack a passing tractor trailer. It was hard explaining to the driver that his trailer already had claw marks in it. And when you met the line - Inuyasha would lay down anything for Kagome, even his life.

But the more she thought about it, she didn't know much about his past. She knew of his father and mother. She knew that once a month, usually right after his human night, he visited their graves. Delivering fresh flowers, and - if Kagome were to be so bold as to assume - a few words to them. But it always ended the same, he would sigh and turn around and see Kagome watching him from atop the hill.

The first time he had blushed, but now it seemed like a normal thing for them. He would walk slowly up to her and she would offer some words to him. Not much, it was more of a silent understanding between them.

Coming back to reality. Kagome eyed Inuyasha. She knew he cared, but never really showed it. And she cared for him as well. Which made her wonder why he was so tense lately.

"Inuyasha, is something wrong?" She asked him. He looked up, startled out of thinking. But just shook his head. "No, nothing."

Kagome didn't buy it for a moment, but knowing how he was, she let it drop. He would tell her when he was ready.

"There's a village up ahead. We should stop and rest for the night." Miroku said, pointing at the pillars of rising smoke that were outlined in the falling sun.

"No." Inuyasha's voice was stern, yet emotionless.

"Inuyasha, it is late. We can't fight Naraku if we're all tired." Sango tried to reason with him. "I said no. That's final."

"Inuyasha, what is wrong?"

"We are not stopping here. We'll have to find a hut."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned again. Something in his misdemeanor had greatly changed over the past hour.

He didn't answer. Even as they hit the village gates he hadn't spoken. Kagome looked around as villagers stared at them, well, more at Inuyasha then the rest.

"Keep walking." Inuyasha whispered to the rest of them.

"I thought we ran you out of here!"

"Stupid dog!"

"Get out of here! We don't want your kind around here anymore."

Kagome was almost fed up with the villagers.

"Stupid half breed!"

That's it.

"What the hell is wrong with you people!" Kagome yelled before covering her mouth. For one thing it wasn't like her to swear, but at an entire village? This was knew.

_Dear god, Inuyasha is rubbing off on me._

Silence racked the village, even Inuyasha was staring at her.

"Keep quiet wench, this only involves the half breed!"

Kagome eyed the villager that had yelled at her. She walked up to him.

"What did you call him?"

"This doesn't involve you, bitch! Get away!"

"What did you call him?" Kagome repeated.

"Insolence!" The villager yelled at her, bringing his hand back to slap her. Kagome, influenced by anger, caught the man's hand. In one motion, she thrusted an open palm upwards, affective breaking the man's nose.

"Whoa." Inuyasha muttered, seeing the spray of blood.

"Kagome…" Sango breathed. She knew well why Kagome had hit the man.

The man fell backwards, landing squarely on his rear.

Kagome was breathing heavily.

"Half breed, take the wench and leave now!" Another villager.

Kagome's anger grew, but before she had the chance to track this one down, Inuyasha had grabbed her. "Lets go."

"What?"

"Come on." He said, lifting her up and walking off.

The group walked until the found an abandoned hut. They made camp for the night.

"Inuyasha? Why did you stop me today?"

"Because, there was no point in taking all of them on."

"But it's not like you to turn away from a fight."

"Just forget it, ok!" He yelled, quickly regaining his composure.

"It's just a bunch of bad memories."

Kagome blinked. She was about to ask when Sango saved Inuyasha from a line of questioning. "Kagome, we need more firewood. Come with me, wont you?"

Kagome looked at Sango, but left the hut. Sango gave Inuyasha a glance over her shoulder. _You owe me one._

Sango and Kagome spent a good fifteen minutes gathering wood before returning to the hut. They placed some of the wood in the fire, and the rest in a pile. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha.

"_It's just a bunch of bad memories."_

"I wouldn't believe it until I saw it myself." Startled, everyone looked up to the door to see an older man standing in the way. His hands folded behind him in a sign of respect.

"Do I know you?"

"It's been so long since we last met. Allow me to apologize for the villagers. They just don't understand greatness."

"Wait." Inuyasha said, standing up. "Can it be. Kyoto?"

"Old man Kyoto now. It's been so long, it never was right what those villagers did to you."

"It's in the past."

Inuyasha and the man must of talked for close to an hour before he left. Inuyasha settled in for a good nights rest. No doubt, tomorrow would bring a full day of shard hunting. Kagome followed the older man for a bit.

"Come out, girl. I know you're there."

Kagome came out of hiding, bowing in respect.

"Sorry sir, I don't mean to pester you, but I wish to know… what did those villagers do to Inuyasha?"

"Please, sit."

Kagome did so.

"When that demon was still a pup those villagers were nothing short of evil to him. There was a maiden in the village that had found Inuyasha near death on the skirts of the village. She took him in, nursed him to health. Some of the villagers, were fine with this. Most were from my generation. However, the kids of the village hated the hanyou pup. When most of the village grew up, the women feeding Inuyasha died as well. When Inuyasha asked for any food, even a bone, they beat him. Once they even tied him to a post and wiped him! It was horrifying. Eventually, Inuyasha left the village a broken pup. Still young himself, he moved on. I haven't seen hide nor hair of him since. Though when he left, his heart was scared. You've done a good job mending him."

Kagome blushed. She had mended his wounds…

"I must go before the villagers wonder of my whereabouts. Take good care of the hanyou. Will you child?"

Kagome nodded her head. "Yes."

"Good. I must go."

Kagome watched him leave before turning back to go to the hut. Midway she stopped, feeling someone watching her.

She turned around to see Inuyasha, he was staring at her, the golden eyes reflected pain.

"Now you know why I didn't want to stop there."

Kagome ran quickly to him. Enveloping him in a huge hug.

"How could you have dealt with that? It's… it's in human!" Kagome cried into his red kimono. "I couldn't even begin to imagine what you went through. Inuyasha, I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you then. If only I had met you sooner, you could of lived with me… no beatings, no whippings… just a happy childhood."

Inuyasha slowly wrapped his arms around me.

"It's okay, Kagome. I'm fine now. That's all that matters."

Kagome continued to cry into his kimono.

"Kagome, don't cry for me. I'm fine. I'm here aren't I?"

Kagome didn't stop. "Come on, that's enough. Why cry over me anyway?"

"Because… I care about you Inuyasha. I hate to see you in pain, I hate to know you ever were in pain! It makes me feel like I failed you! I just care about you too much, that's all… for god sakes, Inuyasha - I love you!"

Inuyasha smiled, burying his head into Kagome's hair.

"And you know what, Kagome… I love you too."


End file.
